sloanbychoice
Crowing
Apologies in advance for the length of this... I want all info out up front... Not sure if I have several issues or something related going on...
I need some knowledgeable help here, please.
I have seventeen hens. BRs, reds, white leghorns, EEs, Welsummers, and one SLW.
1.) I have one red with, I believe, a keel cyst. I have tried at length to research this, but to no avail. How does this resolve? What do I need to do? Any articles with answers? She's had this for quite some time, as I had never heard of such a thing, and didn't really think much of what I thought was just a bump with mussed feathers.
2.) I have at least two girls that are suddenly too thin. We're talking protruding breast bone here. Scaring me badly! They are acting normally, so I didn't immediately notice, and I have no idea how long they've been dropping weight. (I feel like a schmuck!!)
3). I have BRs that are pooping liquid, like water. (First noticed two days ago, but...)
4.) I have recently battled lice and mites. And I mean battle! I used permethrin and thought I had it under control. Not sure now.
5.) I have EEs that are beginning to lose feathers on the face. Pecking? Lice?
6.) I have recently had issue with someone pooing in one box. This was never an issue before, and I didn't think much of it, but thought I'd mention it, in case it adds up with some other stuff. The poo in the box seems really normal looking with urates.
Background and general:
I feed layer feed.
They are in a coop with two enclosed runs.
I recently fortified both runs against wild birds, as I am sure that's where the lice came from.
We do have mice, and we have voles the size of Texas.
Fresh water at all times! No vitamins or additives around here. (Should I?)
They do get treats: meal worms, and once in a while veggies or fruits, and a little scratch at times.
I do sometimes boil their eggs and mash them, with the shells, for them to feast on.
They are from spring 2019, so they're over a year old. (Head hen is one year older.)
I have a squirrel that found a way in, so I am patching that now with more hardware cloth.
Combs and wattles seem fairly normal, with slight fluctuations, nothing concerning.
The exception being, one leghorn who is starting to have some darkening at times toward the back of her comb. Had me wondering about heart or oxygen. She is one who has a prominent breast bone right now.
Recently had a surgery... my head hen (another leghorn) had her enormous comb ripped almost off. It was definitely not a simple "clean and watch" type thing, so she had stitches by an avian vet. She's five days post-op now and still on antibiotics, so she's in the house until I can be sure they will not try to peck the crap out of her comb. So, with her absence, there's a shift in pecking order going on. (Which is why I'm wondering about the feathers on face and head.) I still have no idea how it happened, but I have been constantly looking for anything she could have gotten caught on.
My EEs do this thing where they pluck each other's beards... seems like they actually enjoy it, and eagerly try to get the other EEs to do it for them. They've done this before, and it scared me at first, but I heard other EE owners say that theirs do it too. Seems to be in phases. They're doing it now.
I know this is a lot!! I just feel like anything that could be going wrong, is..
I thank you for any help you have!!
I need some knowledgeable help here, please.
I have seventeen hens. BRs, reds, white leghorns, EEs, Welsummers, and one SLW.
1.) I have one red with, I believe, a keel cyst. I have tried at length to research this, but to no avail. How does this resolve? What do I need to do? Any articles with answers? She's had this for quite some time, as I had never heard of such a thing, and didn't really think much of what I thought was just a bump with mussed feathers.
2.) I have at least two girls that are suddenly too thin. We're talking protruding breast bone here. Scaring me badly! They are acting normally, so I didn't immediately notice, and I have no idea how long they've been dropping weight. (I feel like a schmuck!!)
3). I have BRs that are pooping liquid, like water. (First noticed two days ago, but...)
4.) I have recently battled lice and mites. And I mean battle! I used permethrin and thought I had it under control. Not sure now.
5.) I have EEs that are beginning to lose feathers on the face. Pecking? Lice?
6.) I have recently had issue with someone pooing in one box. This was never an issue before, and I didn't think much of it, but thought I'd mention it, in case it adds up with some other stuff. The poo in the box seems really normal looking with urates.
Background and general:
I feed layer feed.
They are in a coop with two enclosed runs.
I recently fortified both runs against wild birds, as I am sure that's where the lice came from.
We do have mice, and we have voles the size of Texas.
Fresh water at all times! No vitamins or additives around here. (Should I?)
They do get treats: meal worms, and once in a while veggies or fruits, and a little scratch at times.
I do sometimes boil their eggs and mash them, with the shells, for them to feast on.
They are from spring 2019, so they're over a year old. (Head hen is one year older.)
I have a squirrel that found a way in, so I am patching that now with more hardware cloth.
Combs and wattles seem fairly normal, with slight fluctuations, nothing concerning.
The exception being, one leghorn who is starting to have some darkening at times toward the back of her comb. Had me wondering about heart or oxygen. She is one who has a prominent breast bone right now.
Recently had a surgery... my head hen (another leghorn) had her enormous comb ripped almost off. It was definitely not a simple "clean and watch" type thing, so she had stitches by an avian vet. She's five days post-op now and still on antibiotics, so she's in the house until I can be sure they will not try to peck the crap out of her comb. So, with her absence, there's a shift in pecking order going on. (Which is why I'm wondering about the feathers on face and head.) I still have no idea how it happened, but I have been constantly looking for anything she could have gotten caught on.
My EEs do this thing where they pluck each other's beards... seems like they actually enjoy it, and eagerly try to get the other EEs to do it for them. They've done this before, and it scared me at first, but I heard other EE owners say that theirs do it too. Seems to be in phases. They're doing it now.
I know this is a lot!! I just feel like anything that could be going wrong, is..
I thank you for any help you have!!